The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-03

kpoCOVlo VQSt, buullc9b u1oC0ku0s WHICH Will
first get out OF order, then break down, and,
last Of all, break up We owe more to sturdy,
determined, unconvincibls Englishmen like
John Mel than VIC realize, or. perhaps, should
bo willing to acknowledge In these enlight-
ened days
CHAPTER XIV.
ROUGH JOURNEY.
The four grays were fresh horses, In good
condition and with light load behind them,
20, notwithstanding the bad condition of the
tracks which they call roads in South Africa,
John made good progress.
BY II o'clock that day he had reached
Standerton, q little town upon the Vaal, not
far from which he was destined, had he but
known it, to meet with sufficiently striking
experience. Here he obtained confirmation
Of the Bronkers Spruit disaster, and listened
with set face and blazing eyes to the tale Of
treachery and wholesale massacre which was,
as he said, without a parallel In the annals Of
civilized war.
At Standerton John was again warned
that it would be impossible for him to make
his way through the Beers at Heidelberg, .
town about sixty miles from Pretoria, where
the Triumvirate. Kruger, Pretorius and
Joubert, had proclaimed the republic. But
he answered as before, that he must 20 on
till he was stopped, and, inspanning his
horses, set forward again, q little comforted
by the news that the bishop Of Pretoria, who
was hurrying up to rejoin his family, had
passed through few hours before, also IN
tent upon running the blockade. and that II
he drove fast he might overtake him.
~. H<~vv k6n~,
deserted plain, but he did not succeed in
catching up to the bishop. About forty miles
from Standerton he SOW q wagon standing
by the roadside, and halted to see il he could
get any information from its driver. But on
investigation it became clear that tho wagon
had been looted Of the provisions and goods
with which it was loaded and the oxen driven
off. Nor was this the only evidence Of vio-
lence. Across the disselboom Of the wagon,
the hands still clasping a long bamboo whip,
as though he had been trying to defend him
self with it, lay the dead body of the native
driver. His face, John noticed, was SO COM
posed and peaceful that, had it not been for
the attitude and neat little blue hole in the
forehead, you might have thought be was
asleep and not dead.
At sunset John outspanned his now flag
ging horses by the roadside, and gave them
each couple of bundles Of forage from the
store that he had brought with him. While
they were eating it, leaving Mouti to keep
an eye to them, he went some way of and
sat down ON big ant heap to think. 1t was
q wild and melancholy scene that stretched
away before and behind him. Niles upon
miles of plain, rolling east and west and north
and south, like the pillows of frozen sea,
only broken, far along the Heidelberg road,
by some hills, known as Roof Eocpies.
Nor was this all. Overhead was blazing
and burning one of those remarkable
sunsets which one sometimes secs in
summer in Africa. The sky was full Of eyer \
ing clouds, and the sullen orb of the setting
sun had stained them perfectly blood red
sky, and blood red their shadows lay upon the
grass. Even the air seemed red. It looked
as though earth and heaven had been stepped
in blood: and fresh as John was from the
sight of the dead driver, his ears yet tingling
with the tale of Bronker's Spruit. it is not to
be wondered at that the suggestive sight OPP
no company except that melancholy "kakara-
kakara" of an old black koran hidden away
somewhere III the grass He was not much
BY Gil w lustt sOlC VI CIIAAe, UuC uc uA peSAA
to wonder whether this was the last journey
Of ali the many he had made during the past
twenty years, and if "a Boer bullet was about
to solve the mystery Of life and death for
Kim
BY the time that the horses had done their
forage and Mouti had forced the bits into
their reluctant mouths, the angry splendor Of
the sunset had faded, and the quiet night was
falling over the glowing veldt like pail on
one scarce dead. There was, fortunately for
the travellers, bright half moon, and by its
light John managed to direct the cart over
many weary mile. On he went for hour
after hour, keeping his tired horses to the col
lar as best be could, till at last, about II |
o'clock, he saw the lights Of Heidelberg be-
tore him, and knew that the question Of
whether or not his journey was at an end
would speedily be decided for him. However.
here was nothing for it but to 80 on and take
MS chance of slipping through Presently he
crossed little stream, and made out the
shape Of q cart just ahead, around which men
and couple Of lanterns were moving. NO
loubt, he thought to himself, it was the
bishop, who had been stopped by the Beers.
He was quite close to the cart when 1t moved
on and in another second he was greeted py
The rough challenge Of sentry, and caugnS
sight Of the cold CLEAN Of rife barrel.
"Wie das" who's tAcreD
"Friend!" he answered, cheerfully, though
feeling far from cheerful.
There was pause, during which the sentry
called to another man, who came up yawn-
ing, and saying something in Dutch. Strain
ing his ears he caught the words, Bishops
man." and this gave him an idea.
"Who are you, Englishman!" asked the
second man, gruffly, holding up lantern 10
look at John, and speaking in English.
II am the bishops chaplain, sir" he an
swered, mildly, trying desperately to look
like an unoffending clergyman, land want
to get on to Pretoria with him."
The man with the lantern inspected him
closely. Fortunately he had on dark coat
and a clerical looking black felt hat; the same
that Frank Muller had put bullet through
HE is preacher fast enough" said the one
man to the other. "Look, he is dressed Ike
IN old crow! What did 'Om' Krugers pass
say, Jana Was it two carts or one that we
were to let through I think that it was